Rocambole threatening to start a process without end, covering the Oriental question. Since he never finishes anything, chances are that the process also will never be finished, from "News of the Day"
Original title: Rocambole threatening to start a process without end, covering the Oriental question. Since he never finishes anything, chances are that the process also will never be finished, from "News of the Day"
kurzbeschreibung
In this 1867 lithograph by Honoré Daumier, Rocambole, the fictional character, threatens to bring a lawsuit over the Eastern Question—one that, true to his nature, he will never finish. The print belongs to the series 'News of the Day' and lampoons the political rhetoric of the era.
Description
Rocambole stands at the front, his arm sweeping wide in a grand gesture, dressed in a robe that suggests an official gown or a doctor's coat. Beside him, another figure has settled comfortably into an armchair, pipe in mouth, long beard neatly groomed. The wall behind is bare, with only a window letting in light. The layout pushes the two figures close together, yet all attention falls on Rocambole's expansive threatening pose. Caricatural exaggeration marks their features and movements.
Context
The lithograph appeared on January 23, 1867, in the satirical journal 'Le Charivari,' where Daumier's series 'News of the Day' ran. The 'Eastern Question' referred to tensions in the Ottoman Empire and the ambitions of the European powers. Rocambole, meanwhile, was a character from the widely read adventure novels of Ponson du Terrail—a braggart whose deeds always came to nothing.
Impact
The contrast between Rocambole's theatrical threats and the pipe smoker's calm bearing creates a comic effect. Viewers can smile at the emptiness of political announcements that never lead to action.
Technique
This is a lithograph on newsprint, second state of two (according to Delteil). The lithographic process allows for fine lines and graduated shading that benefit the caricature. The print remains black and white, as was customary for nineteenth-century printmaking.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)